Bishop Eric Menees
Tomorrow, February 2nd is an important date in the Christian
calendar, but a date that often goes forgotten. Tomorrow we celebrate the feast
of the Presentation of Our Lord; though in all fairness this feast has many
names: The Feast of Lights; Candle Mass; The Purification of St. Mary - all of
which speak to light, and joy, and faithfulness.
The service will begin with the opening collect, which will
go something like this: “Almighty and ever-loving God, we humbly pray that, as
your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be
presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”
With this feast we remember that Jesus is the light of the
world, and so we bring our candles to be lights to ward off the darkness in
every way conceivable. And this feast commemorates the faithfulness of the Holy
Family. On the fortieth day after birth, the family is to present their first
born male to the Lord: “As it is written in the law of the Lord; “Every male
who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord” (Luke 2:23) At this
same ceremony, the mother of the child would go through a “mitzvah” bath – a
cleansing that would allow her to enter the Temple again for worship and the
offering of sacrifices.
On this day – forty days after Jesus’ birth – Mary and
Joseph humbly and obediently went to the Temple to present their first born to
God. Little did they know that Simeon
the prophet would be present in the Temple. Simeon, who had waited his entire
life to see the savior, had his prayers answered as he laid his eyes upon
Jesus. Simeon knew instinctively that this child was the promised savior of the
world. Simeon responded in song: “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart
in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you
have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the
Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
The prophetess Anna also took this opportunity to “give
thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of
Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:38)
Why is this Feast of the Presentation so important? Because
with the Feast of the Presentation, we are reminded that a disciple is faithful
to the Word of God and the Traditions of the Church. The Holy Family were
faithful to the Word of God in presenting their son to God and completing
Mary’s ritual cleansing. St. Simeon was faithful in believing the promise of
God to deliver His people by sending forth His light through His Anointed One,
who is none other than Jesus Christ.
I pray that tomorrow you will take the time to remember the
faithfulness of the Holy Family, Simeon, and Anna by saying a prayer, reading
the Word, and lighting a candle.
A very blessed week to you all!
(Note: sorry for the late posting. I was out of town. Dale+)
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